Cyclist killed in Porter Square crash identified

The cyclist community mourned a loss following the incident.

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The bicyclist killed in a collision with an 18-wheeler truck Wednesday morning in Porter Square was identified as Bernard Lavins, 60, of Lexington, according to the Middlesex District Attorney's Office.

Traffic was closed on Massachusetts Avenue for hours following the crash, which occurred at 8:08 a.m., Cambridge police spokesman Jeremy Warnick said. The truck driver remained on scene, on Massachusetts Avenue opposite the Porter Square Shopping Center, and complied with the investigation.

Those in the area saw a gruesome scene, with the bike pinned under the front of the tractor trailer. One witness described hearing a "screech" and then seeing "pieces of something flying in the air."

There is no report of charges at this time and the truck driver's name has not been released. The truck was adorned with decals that displayed the name Mitlitsky Eggs.

That company is based in Lebanon, Connecticut. No one there could be reached for comment at this time.

Mitlitsky Eggs reported one previous crash within the last two years that was not fatal, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

This is the second time a bicyclist was killed in Cambridge this year. In June, 27-year-old Amanda Phillips was struck by a landscaping truck in Inman Square, according to NECN.

The cycling community came together Wednesday night to support each other. Signs posted throughout the area informed anyone who saw the crash or wanted to talk about it that they were welcomed to gather at Bourbon Coffee in Porter Square.